GOSPEL
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’
He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’
Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.
(Mark 4:26–34)
DID YOU KNOW?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Parables are very short stories with a double meaning. They act like metaphors and can be interpreted very broadly. To understand the parables of Jesus we must be attentive to both the literal and metaphorical language used.
- The nearness of the kingdom (or reign) of God is the central plank of the teaching of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel.
- The term ‘kingdom of God’ occurs only in the New Testament, but similar expressions are found in the Old Testament. It refers to a time when God’s will would be done on Earth.
- Matthew uses the term ‘kingdom of heaven’ as a way of avoiding the use of the sacred name of God.
EXPLORING THE WORD
Parables provoke interpretation. They make us wonder what Jesus was referring to and what he really meant. At times, he is quite vague about the real meaning and his disciples are left wondering. Think, for example, of the parable of the sower, which Jesus must later explain (Mark 4: 13-20). At other times, like the instances we have in this gospel reading, Jesus is quite explicit: he tells his hearers that he is talking about the kingdom of God. Even so, he must still explain his meaning to the disciples when he is alone with them. Unfortunately, Mark does not report for us what interpretation Jesus places on these parables.
In the Old Testament, the imagery of the reign of God had an apocalyptic dimension; it was to come to fullness at the end times, when the wicked would be punished and the faithful vindicated. Only then would there be a new heaven and a new earth. The message in Mark’s Gospel, however, is quite different. Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of God has already begun. It is among us now. ‘This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand’ (Mark 1:15). Like the seed planted, it takes root and grows mysteriously into something much larger than itself. The kingdom or reign is a gracious gift from God brought near in Christ and demanding a response of faith from those who recognise the truth of his word. The kingdom offers a challenge; like the man who sowed the seed, we must be ready to cooperate in God’s work when the harvest time comes.
- The kingdom or reign of God refers to the time when God’s will is done. What signs of the growth of the kingdom of God can we discern in our world today? Where do we see God’s will being done?
- What things do you think hinder the growth of the kingdom today?
- How are we called to cooperate in God’s work? What must we do?
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- ‘He spoke the word to them so far as they were capable of understanding it.’ How much has your understanding grown so far in your journey?
- Are you ready for the harvest?
- What more needs to be explained to you?
- Have you ever been a part of something that began as a small thing but took on a life of its own and grew much larger? Were you swept away and overwhelmed? Were you able to grow with it and become something more than you ever thought possible? Was it terrifying or exciting? Share your reflections together.
- Be attentive this week to how the seed of God’s word and love is growing within you. Foster this growth in as many ways as you can and try to plant the seeds of faith in the hearts of others.
- Use today’s gospel acclamation as your prayer this week:
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live forever.
SHARING THE TRADITION
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
The mystery of the kingdom of God is echoed in the mystery of the Church:
It was the Son’s task to accomplish the Father’s plan of salvation in the fullness of time. Its accomplishment was the reason for his being sent. ‘The Lord Jesus inaugurated his Church by preaching the Good News, that is, the coming of the Reign of God, promised over the ages in the scriptures.’ To fulfill the Father’s will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth. The Church ‘is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery.’
‘This Kingdom shines out before men in the world, in the works and in the presence of Christ.’ To welcome Jesus’ word is to welcome ‘the Kingdom itself’. The seed and beginning of the Kingdom are the ‘little flock’ of those whom Jesus came to gather around him, the flock whose shepherd he is … To those who he thus gathered around him, he taught a ‘new way of acting’ and a prayer of their own.
(CCC §§763, 764)
- Explore the mystery of the Church and its role in continuing to proclaim the kingdom of God.
- How are those who belong to Christ’s ‘flock’ called to work towards the kingdom? How can we be the seeds that will flourish and grow?
- What is the ‘new way of acting’ to which we are now called?
- The prayer that Jesus gave us, the Our Father, calls for the kingdom to come ‘on earth as it is in heaven’. What does this mean? Explore each line of this great prayer together.
SYMBOLS AND IMAGES
The mystery of the kingdom of God is at the heart of this reading. Humans cannot understand how it will grow and spread, but once planted, it will prosper as the seed does, taking root and growing to fullness. What begins as a tiny seed like the mustard seed will grow into something much larger and offer shelter for all.
LIVING THE WORD
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- What signs of the coming of the kingdom are discernible in your community? What ministries does your community engage in which help to grow the kingdom? Is there a role that catechumens can play in these ministries? Invite them to participate.
- Use a wooden bowl filled with seeds and the open Scriptures as a focus for prayer. Pray for the fullness of the kingdom to become a reality in our world. Pray for each other as you journey towards fullness of faith. Pray the ‘Our Father’ together. A suitable song could be ‘Bring forth the Kingdom’ (GA 478). Conclude with the prayer of blessing in the RCIA at §97C.